National Director at World Vision Kenya

Here’s where you come in:

As National Director – Kenya you will oversee the development and strategy of all country operations. World Vision Kenya was founded in 1974 and serves more than 1.8 million children, their families and their communities across 42 programme areas.

You are a highly accomplished visionary leader who combines proven business disciplines with inspirational management skills to effectively communicate global initiatives, cultivate relationships, and identify opportunities to successfully drive World Vision Kenya growth and development.

PUPRPOSE OF POSITION:

The purpose of the National Director position is to:

• Set a strategic vision for the office and lead, develop and direct the implementation of all aspects of World Vision Kenya Ministry as an effective member of the Partnership in line with ‘Twin Citizenship’ principles to ensure solid ministry quality and high impact in the field; be accountable for all aspects of WV’s work in the country.
• Ensure that WV’s ministry directly aligns with Learning through Evaluation with Accountability and Planning (LEAP) 3 principles and contributes at scale to the sustained well-being of children and the fulfilment of their rights within families and communities.
• Have a strong external orientation and represent WV with all donors, project partners, WV Partnership Offices and divisions, local government, church representatives and non- governmental organizations, serving according to the Power of Attorney given by the Global Centre.
• Ensure alignment with Micro Finance Institution (MFI) (Vision Fund Kenya) through participation in Vision Fund’s Board as a member of the Board and other Governance structures, and provide appropriate collegial support to the MFI’s Executive Director.
• Appropriately develop national governance through identifying national lay leaders for board membership and leading organizational transition.
• Maintain a strong growth with quality mentality and lead the office to leverage its private resources portfolio to ensure growth in the area of grants.
• Provide leadership, strategic direction and support in the development and implementation of an effective Resource Development Strategy.
• Ensure people issues are front and centre, promoting an office that embraces diversity, interfaith collaboration, gender balance and engagement with all Partnership staff.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Spiritual Leadership:

• Ensure that the office has a strong and integrated Faith and Development strategy that includes staff nurture, integration of program approaches such as Covenant with umbrella church bodies, Celebrating Families, FBFs, etc.
• Model a high standard of personal Christian leadership, ministry and integrity though lifestyle and work relationships, and provide spiritual guidance to staff on the Vision, Mission and WV Core Values.
• Ensure that office leadership is capable to work in interfaith contexts and is familiar with World Vision’s commitments.
• Participate and lead regular devotional meetings.

Ministry Performance:

• Ensure high quality Ministry approaches that align with LEAP 3 principles and ensure best practice development work at scale.
• Ensure strong ability to measure Child Well Being (CWB) outcomes and maintain a green rating on the CWB report each year.
• Ensure strong engagement in international and local resource mobilization, including positioning and support to grant acquisition efforts to raise additional resources and diversify WV Kenya’s portfolio.
• Ensure the highest standards of quality and accountability through compliance with World Vision policies and standards and international standards for emergency response, disaster mitigation, rehabilitation and development.
• Ensure all project proposals, reports, integrated audits and Ministry evaluations are reviewed at a proper level within the office and appropriate actions are implemented, to ensure impact, accountability and compliance.
• Ensure that a strong national Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation (ML&E) strategy is in place and that ML&E systems are streamlined to reduce processes and focus on child well-being.
• Ensure accountability for the implementation of effective ministry to all key stakeholders. Ensure a relevant, timely and accurate flow of management and operational reports according to program objectives and standards and to meet reporting requirements from donors, Regional Offices, local partners.

Strategy, Operating Plan and Long and Short Term Targets:

• Ensure there is a documented office strategy, Ministry strategies and operating plans, and the latter have been derived from the office strategy and has clear, measurable short-term and long-term targets.
• Ensure that Ministry strategies are aligned with Regional and Partnership strategic priorities.
• Ensure there are clear strategies for People and Culture, Communications and other main functions, and they are based on the office strategy and operational plan and include main priority areas identified in respective Regional and Partnership Strategies. Facilitate and be accountable for the execution and monitoring of strategies.

Leadership and Management of WV Kenya:

• Promote WV’s Vision, Mission, Core Values and key Partnership Standards and Practices among the staff and partners and ensure these are the core foundation of WV Kenya strategies and work.
• Lead the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and ensure diverse representation on the leadership team.
• Strong focus on leadership and people management, ensuring the most capable and qualified staff members are in place to implement office strategy and operational plans.
• Lead processes to develop National Office (NO) governance from advisory status to governing board. Lead processes to transition the office to fully interdependent status.
• Review and approve WV Kenya’s succession plan; ensure that proper capacity is in place and succession plans are updated and executed.
• Promote and participate in leadership development initiatives, including those for staff at management levels in the field and at the NO level.
• Lead and manage WVK’s team in a way that facilitates a high performance culture, open trustworthy relationships and integrity.
• Promote a culture of learning and development, employee engagement and good stewardship of human capital in the office.
• Ensure implementation and compliance to Partnership Performance Management Standards and Principles, while seeking to implement Performance Management guidelines on reasonable level.
• Champion WVK’s leadership team in the proper implementation of Performance Evaluations on a mid –term and annual basis for the whole organization.
• Support initiatives for staff care and well-being, both for international and local employees.
• Ensure excellent standards in the management of the human, financial, capital and technical resources of the organization, which includes inspiring and maintaining high standards of work and clear accountability to stakeholders.
• Visit field projects frequently to encourage, build relationships and support WV programs.
• Ensure that initiatives directed to build capacity required to implement local fundraising are included in the office capacity-building plan.

Advocacy and Representation:

• Represent WVK and engage and build strategic alliances with the National and County governments of the country, WVK board, major donor agencies, WV Partnership, non-governmental agencies, churches and media.
• Develop and implement appropriate advocacy strategies to raise awareness of- and advocate for change in- key issues within Kenya that relate to CWB.
• Lead and facilitate strategies for the promotion of justice that look for the change of unfair structures that oppress those in need.
• Ensure WV is positioned as a leading NGO in promoting the well-being and rights of children within the country context to develop public and stakeholders’ confidence and trust.
• Strengthen awareness of World Vision’s program both within and outside of the WV Partnership.
• Ensure that the WV brand is respected within the country and that all vehicles and facilities are properly branded with standard WV branding.
• Provide leadership, strategic direction and support to the team for developing and implementing a strong donor experience and acquisition of ministry funds.
• Identify new opportunities and forge alliances that lead to optimization of all resources.
•  

Financial Management and Financial and Operational Audit Compliance:

• Ensure efficient and effective organizational practices that result in successful financial and operational audit scores.
• Ensure action planning and execution to resolve audit findings in an agreed and timely manner. Undertake appropriate reporting of audit results and actions.
• Oversee and ensure strong engagement of leadership in monthly Field Finance Reports (FFRs) and ensure rapid action on issues raised.
• Ensure strong financial compliance through timeliness and completeness of financial reports.
• Ensure strong operational compliance through timeliness and completeness of program/project reports.
• Provide direction for integrating private and public funds to maximize results and respond to community needs in most effective and efficient way.
• Manage overall financial integrity of the program to WV Support Offices donors, the government and other stakeholders.
• Provide overall strategic leadership and initiative for identifying and securing financial resources to support the program.

Safety and Security, Disaster Mitigation and Preparedness:

• Develop and maintain capacity to respond to natural and man-made emergencies.
• Review security and safety plans and protocols (security manual, evacuation plan, Disaster Preparedness Plan, and Risk Assessments at National, Regional and Programme Office levels) and ensure understanding and compliance by all staff and visitors.
• Oversee relief efforts, as and when they arise and work in partnership with response teams. Build in-country relief response capacity to ensure adequate disaster management and response.
• Liaise with other international organizations to collect information about the security environment and, where appropriate, discuss joint responses to security threats.

Compliance and Country Legal Environment:

• Ensure the office complies with local labour law requirements and standards.
• Maintain an external legal counsel that can support WV leadership when required.
• Ensure and oversee proper mechanisms for Child Protection and other WVI standards and principles implementation.
• Ensure that the entity functions in a complementary, cohesive manner where principles of interdependence and twin citizenship guide the contribution made to the Partnership and the use of WV Partnership resources.

Resource Development and Management:

• Explore opportunities and facilitate Resource Development business planning. Align with regional and local Grants Acquisition and Management (GAM) team objectives.
• Implement an effective National Resource Development strategy and implementation plan to generate funds locally.
• Execute plan to generate funds from a variety of donors.
• Implement long term and short term programs that create new opportunities for acquisition, retention and transformation of a diverse set of private donors.
• Ensure strong external engagement and visibility of WV Kenya to help promote its work to key donors and acquire greater levels of resource for ministry from a diverse set of donors.
• Ensure strong grants management to create trust and engagement with the donor for accessing future resources and increased credibility.

Micro Finance Institution (MFI) Strategic Management:

• As a member of the VISION FUND board, ensure that Vision Fund’s micro-finance ministry is integrated with World Vision’s Ministry to promote fullness of life for children and their communities.
• Facilitate programmatic integration of VISION FUND and APs/ADPs operations.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

Government Grants & Budgets:

• Strong knowledge of financial management and accounting principles.
• Strong expertise in grant acquisition and management.
• Manage a budget of almost $80m (Level III position - $41 – 100 million).

Major Ministries:

• Experience in technical programming in at least one of the major ministry components.
• (Relief, Development or Advocacy), close familiarity with the other two.
• Knowledge of LEAP 3 processes and Transformational Development preferred.
• Experience and/or understanding of advocacy execution, national advocacy strategy development and leading advocacy efforts as a pillar of a theory of change.

Contexts:

• Experience working in African contexts.
• Understanding of political, socio-economic, and cultural contexts within the country achieved within 3 months after assuming the role.
• Experience and/or understanding of working in a large and complex organization with a matrix management structure.

Leadership/Governance:

• Experience with Boards or Advisory councils and have a good understanding of their mandate – Board Role Clarity.
• Experience leading diverse executive teams.
• Ability to present persuasively to a board, Senior Management Team, staff, donors, NGOs, government officials, community leaders and other stakeholders.

Requirements include:

• Master’s Degree in a relevant field.
• A minimum of 15 years of relevant experience in international relief and development, with progressively more complex and higher level leadership roles.
• Training in Non-profit leadership and experience in leading diverse teams that include national and international staff.
• Experience with integrated community development programming, with a diverse knowledge of technical program areas where World Vision focuses (education, health/nutrition, livelihood/resilience, micro-finance, child protection, etc.).
• Strong ability to engage externally with donors, partners, and other stakeholders. Evidence of building coalitions and engaging externally to influence policy and strategic directions.
• Fluency in English/strong written and spoken English language skills and ability to communicate the Mission and Vision of the organization well.
• Previous experience in Africa and understanding of the context and cultures of the continent.
• Work environment: Office-based with frequent travel to the field.
• Travel: 25% domestic with occasional international travel required.